Nearly 1 mln people affected in BiH floods

SARAJEVO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Nearly one million people, or almost a quarter of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), were transferred from one place to another during the floods, said Vjekoslav Bevanda, Chairman of BiH Council of Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Monday.

A total of 950,000 people were forced to move to safer ground over the flooding, the worst in 120 years in the region, Bevanda said at a news conference after the government held an emergency session.

The population of BiH stands at about 3.8 million, according to a census conducted in 2013.

The Council of Ministers, however, decided not to declare a state of emergency over all territory of BiH for now. The Republika Srpska (RS), an entity of BiH, had declared a state of emergency.

Bevanda also expressed gratitude to all those who worked hard to rescue people and help relief efforts.

BiH Armed Forces and civil protection agencies have make all their resources available, he said, adding that there were some 200 teams of rescuers from abroad in flooding areas.